Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1887-07-16
PrOpellIDg street Cars.

The recent experiment in Philadelphia,
showing the great success attained with
electric storage batteries in moving street
car, is described in detail in the Rail,cay
World. Heretofore electrical railway lines
have had underground or overhead con-
nection, but in this experiment the car was
driven by electric forces all embraced
within itself. For the purpose of show
ing how the experiment was conducted,
this description is appended
Tho motive power IL derived from an elec.
oells, BY by inches, and weighing about
~ pounds when filed and ready for use.
They are arranged In four rows, each con.
tanning II cells, and two OF these rows occupy
the space below each seat The rows OF cells
arc electrically connected with each other by
wires under the front and rear portions OF
the Car, and communicate their power TO q
motor geared with the front axle under such
conditions that when this motor makes is
revolutions the axle makes l3 revolutions "a
little more than l to %. When the axle
makes SO revolutions per minute the car Iuns
at about the rate OF miles per
hour. A much higher speed, however,
10 frequently attained All the elec.
trtcai appliances are connected with
ntcb board an ths iseS GSaSg box
about ~ feet high by 8 inches square, and
ON top OF II 10 Q small iron wheel about six
inches In diaDater 30 connected with the en-.
closed wires, and through them, with all the
other operative forces, that by short move.
ments Of this wheel the car is made to stop,
70 move back ward and forward, even for
such abort distance - small fractions OF an
trch or 70 advance at varying degrees OF
speed. An ordinary brake IL used 10 STOP
p'". The car, but 1t is not necessary, and
kp,. G..I H,-
OF dintnishtng demands upon the available
supply OF electrical iOrce.
1t 10 claimed that the max imum power
available il equal to II nominal horse power,
and that 1t is sufficient to propei An ordinary
two horse street car over q distance OF thirty
miles The force is mechanically prod uced
by the operations of Q gas engine and q
dynamo, and yet when distributed in the
cells and among their interior appliances,
the electrical conditions therein created are
similar to those arising from the creation In
them OF an equal amount OF electrical force
by chemical agencies. Each of the cells con-
taius % lead plates, IL being united to form
one pole, and II to form the other. The plates
are perforated by square holes, respectively
hlied with lithsrge and red lead, and they
are immersed in . dilute solution OF SUI
Phuric acid. The entire array of forces acts
IN unison, 10 that the vital power OF all the
cels v simultaneously drawn upon. When
tecnafeing becomes necessary, the boxes
ccontaining CONC the coils can readily be removed
from the car and replaced with boxes con.
tanning "a cells fully charged. The charging
- performed by an S-horss engine and I'd.
ison dynamo, oi the pattern known as the
6O-iight machine, In about siour hours.
1t is claimed for the new mode of pro.
pulsion, that any street car line can be
operated by the method used at cost not
exceeding twO-thirds of the cost of horse
power, and without any new expenditure
ON the track or permanent way, ex.
cept such Outlsys a. may be necessary TO
put In good condition for ordinary street
car service.